Sweet Greek hospitality

Food is the star at St. Basil's annual festival

It smelled like sugar and spice and something else nice in the kitchen of St. Basil Greek Orthodox Church on Monday where volunteers were baking baklava and lots of it for the 54th annual Greek Festival.

What: A chance to sample Greek culture including food, pastries, music, dancing, games and church tours.When: noon to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday; noon to 8 p.m. SundayWher...

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54th annual Greek Festival

What: A chance to sample Greek culture including food, pastries, music, dancing, games and church tours.

When: noon to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday; noon to 8 p.m. Sunday

Where: St. Basil Greek Orthodox Church, 920 W. March Lane, Stockton

Admission: $2; free for children younger than 12

Information: (209) 478-7564

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It smelled like sugar and spice and something else nice in the kitchen of St. Basil Greek Orthodox Church on Monday where volunteers were baking baklava and lots of it for the 54th annual Greek Festival.

The three-day event kicks off Friday and requires a lot of cooks in the kitchen.

"It's Labor Day, so we labor," Gayle Maduros said as she rattled off the ingredients for the Greek pastry being assembled by scores of helpers. "We have 400 pounds of chopped walnuts, 500 pounds of butter, 300 pounds of phyllo dough."

And gallons and gallons of a syrup concocted with sugar, water, honey, lemon and cinnamon.

Maduros is kind enough to share the recipe for baklava for those who want to make the layered pastry at home.

But they will have plenty at this weekend's festival, and you all are invited.

"Everyone loves the food, the music, the dancing. It's a chance for the whole community to come together. There's a Greek word philoxenia, which means hospitality, and we welcome everyone," the Rev. Pete Sotiras, who leads the faithful at St. Basil, said of the festival, which opens at noon Friday, Saturday and Sunday at the church on March Lane. "It's also a chance for those who are curious to learn more about our faith by taking a church tour."

As he spoke, bakers were busy layering the baklava and still others were setting up booths outdoors for the festival.

Rick Gaines, who helps oversee the event, said there will be plenty of tasty food such as gyros, dolmas and those yummy pastries.

The youth group is using some of the baklava for a ice cream sundae booth.

"But don't wait until Sunday night to come out," Gaines said. "Because sometimes, we do run out at the end."